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A vision for achieving sustainable rural water services for all
The last three decades have seen substantial sums invested in rural water services in low-income countries. As a consequence, globally about 700 million rural people gained access to improved water supply services between 1990 and 2008. Much progress has been made and many lessons learned over this period. However, a similar number remain unserved, and a significant proportion of those who are counted as served experience faults and failings in their services.
New RWSN Strategy for 2012-2014
We are please to announce the launch of the new RWSN Strategy for 2012 to 2014. It is major step forward for the network as new partners get involved. It has been jointly developed and is officially endorsed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Skat Foundation, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, WaterAid, the Water and Sanitation Programme (WSP) of the World Bank and UNICEF.
RWSN Newsletter July 2011
Welcome to another issue of the Newsletter. We highlight the publication of the RWSN Annual Report – the first time that this document has been issued publicly, and all part of our drive for greater visibility and transparency. We describe recent activities of the four RWSN „flagships‟ which will continue through this year until the launch of the new strategy at the Forum in November. We also have great pleasure in welcoming Sean Furey to the RWSN Secretariat – a significant strengthening of our ability to coordinate activities and engage with the wider membership of the network.
<a href="http://www.rwsn.ch/documentation/skatdocumentation.2011-07-07.7529077907"> Download here</a>
Low Cost Handpumps
This guidance note points out the strengths and limitations of a number of low cost pumps. It provides an overview of the application, technical details, materials used, installation and maintenance, manufacturing requirements and costs of several low cost pumps, including information on the numbers installed and locations.
<a href="http://www.rwsn.ch/documentation/prcollector.2009-04-05.2482958002/skatdocumentation.2011-07-01.0268979788"> Download Fieldnote </a>
RWSN Annual Report 2010
This report covers the main achievements and activities of the Rural Water Supply Network (RWSN) for 2010. <p>
It focuses on the work undertaken by Skat Foundation, Sally Sutton (SWL Consultants) and Peter Harvey (UNICEF). The report also acknowledges the wider group of organisations have contributed towards the outcomes and impacts of RWSN’s work. The report structure provides an overview from the RWSN Secretariat, followed by activities under the four flagships: Cost-Effective Boreholes, Self Supply, Sustainable Rural Water Supplies and Handpump Technologies. It sets out achievements against a number of milestones and uses case studies to highlight particular areas of interest. <p>
<a href="http://www.rwsn.ch/about/prarticle.2008-08-20.2612584078/skatdocumentation.2011-06-28.9283727699">Download the report here</a>
Cost Effective Boreholes in Mozambique
This report documents the One Million Initiative experience on borehole drilling over the years 2008-2010, contrasts current practices with the nine principles of the recently released document by the Rural Water Supply Network, “Code of Practice for Cost Effective Boreholes”, and finally proposes recommended actions.
<a href="http://www.rwsn.ch/documentation/prcollector.2009-04-03.5513012969/skatdocumentation.2011-07-01.5803126498">Download the document here </a>
RWSN Newsletter - March 2011
Almost 900 million people still do not have access to an improved drinking water supply, of which 85% live in rural areas. This is the stark reality, as shown by the latest Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) Report that has been published by WHO/UNICEF (2010). Thus 740 million rural dwellers throughout the world face a daily reality of fetching drinking water from a distant and even polluted source. However, one must also recognise the fact that between 1990 and 2008, an estimated 700 million rural people gained access to an improved drinking water supply thanks to efforts of Governments, NGOs, donors, private enterprises as well as the rural dwellers themselves. There are some excellent programmes, projects and household initiatives which can be learnt from; so-called “islands of success”. There are also some very encouraging innovative practices, which could extend beyond their current reach.
Accelerating Self Supply - Summary of progress in introducing a new approach
Findings from assessing and piloting Self Supply acceleration suggest that encouraging household investment can truly offer a viable option for improving water supplies. This field note draws together the lessons from the piloting work in Ethiopia, Mali, Uganda and Zambia and shows how Self Supply and its acceleration can help government and planners to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets for access to safe water, and ultimately universal access, especially in areas which are difficult to serve adequately with community supplies.
Data on Hydrogeology in SADC region
The British Geological Survey (BGS) has just released its archive of technical literature on the hydrogeology of southern and east Africa to the public. This is a huge repository of unpublished data, reports, papers, manuals and maps which describe the hydrogeological work that has been undertaken in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in the 20th century. The information can be downloaded free of charge.
Sustainable Supply Chains for Rural Water Services - Linking local procurement of handpumps and spare parts supply
There is a critical need to increase the sustainability of rural water supply services, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. One of the primary reasons for low levels of sustainability is that supply chains do not deliver spare parts close to customers at an affordable cost. Most of the users of handpumps live in rural areas, where they require access to spare parts through some form of distribution network. Typically, spares are not readily available. This Field Note outlines why current approaches to supply chain development for spare parts have not worked. It presents a set of solutions to ensure the availability of spare parts for operation and maintenance of rural water systems through integrated supply chains.
